


Romance As We Know It

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Blackfrost - Freeform, F/M, Four love stories in one, FrostWidow, Gen, Modern Universe, Romances, ShieldShock - Freeform, Thunderwar, background bruce and jane, multi couples, no powers, winterwitch - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 13:04:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16577048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Falling in love is an experience every person goes through differently. The love story can be light, angsty, heartwarming, or tragically heartbreaking.Four love stories, all different with their own conflicts. Which one of them will end badly and which other will have a satisfying ending?





	1. Chapter 1

James Buchanan Barnes's face was sour when he stepped out of the airport with his best friend, Steve Rogers, beside him. They carried black duffel bags and their luggage, the two men adorned in their black soldier uniform and hats. Some of the people around acknowledged them and nodded their way, as if they were important people. Steve couldn't help but smile and lightly nudged his friend. "You don't look happy to be back home."

James exhaled sharply before he clenched his jaw. He shook his head and almost said something snarky before a black limousine smoothly parked before them. The two walked forward and James opened the backseat door for Steve to enter in first. The blonde was going to go in with his luggage but James shook his head. "The chauffeur will take care of that."

Robert, the Barnes family chauffeur, slid out of the limousine to take their luggage to the trunk. "James." Robert bowed his head at his boss's son.

"How are you Rob? Your family finally found a decent place to stay?" James asked.

"Thanks to your father, we now live in a quiet suburb. I owe him a lot, I shall always be in his debt."

James nodded slowly. "Good. That's good. I'm glad you and your family are in safe hands." He said, before asking, "He told you to pick me up didn't he? My dad?"

"He is very eager to speak with you. He says it is very important and that you know exactly what it is about."

James's jaw clenched as his face darkened. He slid into the limo without another word and earned a worried look from Steve when he sat beside him. "You alright there, Buck?" He asked in concern.

James slammed the door shut and rasped, "Fine."

________

 

  
Loki Odinson sighed, turning his head down as he clasped his hands together. He was sitting on the couch between his brother, Thor, and their mother. He was the only black-haired in the Odinson family, awkwardly sticking out between the two blondes.

Thor was anxiously tapping his foot, and his mother covered his hand with her own to calm him.

The lawyer finally spoke up, reading from the folder in her hands. "Mr Odinson has left his son, Thor Odinson, his full fortune and the platinum family pocket watch. His wife, Frigga Odinson, is left with the house and assets." She paused.

Loki swallowed hard, his head raised up waiting. His heart was beating hard, as if it wanted to jump out of his chest. He balled his hands into fists, before his mother briefly held his knee. But that didn't help one bit.

His father's funeral was not a week ago and he had been going through mixed emotions & anxiety. He knew that he didn't see eye to eye with his father and the truth if he ever loved him was going to reveal itself now.

"And his youngest son, Loki Odinson, is left with the family company under his name. That is all." The lawyer closed the folder and her eyes darted at the three of them.

Loki was shocked, his eyes slightly widened.

Thor gave him a small smile and his mother squeezed his shoulder.

"Are you certain?" Loki asked carefully, leaning in.

"My eyes work well, Mr Odinson. I know what I read." The lawyer stated.

Loki's mouth gaped open.

"Oh why you so surprised?" His mother gave a weak chuckle. "Your father was always impressed by your managing skills. You've saved the company countless times. Odinson Corp. wouldn't be as far as it is without you. He trusted that you will make it bigger. That is why he wrote it in the will."

Loki exhaled and his face fell in his palm. He didn't know how he felt. He couldn't decipher it now but he was sure that he was going to be grateful later on.

"Congratulations, brother." Thor clapped his shoulder and nodded. "You have worked very hard. You deserve this."

 

__________

 

 

"James!" Rebecca Barnes gasped and ran into her big brother's arms who caught her & spun her around in circles. He dropped her back on her feet and she took his hat off his head to put it on her. "Wow you even brought home a stylish hat."

He took his hat back. "Hello to you too." He scoffed and looked around his home with a small smile as Robert took his bags & luggage upstairs. The house was huge and filled with expensive vintage furniture. The red Persian carpet he remembered still sprawled on the lounge room. He looked at the piano in the corner and smirked. When was the last time he played that thing?

And then he noticed something.

He paused. "Did mom just change the chandelier again?" He pointed his finger up.

Rebecca shrugged. "You know how mom is. Where's Steve? "

"Dropped him off at his place."

"You brought some guns with you?"

He just rolled his eyes. "Where's dad?"

"In the study room. Where he always is, and will forever be."

James's eyes briefly fluttered closed. "Right. Of course. Still a workaholic?"

"You were expecting change?" She raised an eyebrow. "Because there is none. Mom feels ignored. She's not doing well."

James frowned in concern. "Where is she?"

"I don't know, James." Her voice lowered into a whisper as she walked closer. He leaned in to listen. "I think she's having an affair--"

  
"James!"

James turned and forced an easy smile as he watched his father, George Barnes, descend down the long staircase with quick steps. He averted from Rebecca and walked to his father who gave him a hug. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, dad."

"How's the military?"

"A lot of bad and good memories." He nodded. "I'm never coming back there anyway, I'm sure you're happy now."

"I only wanted the best for you, James."

"Yeah yeah, I know. You won't ever stop saying that."

"Because it's the truth."

James exhaled in annoyance. "Let me guess, you want me to work for you? That's what you wanted to talk about?"

"You don't have a job now. But I gave you a good, advanced education, I have a spot for you in the company."

James clenched his jaw. "The company can do better without me."

"No. It can't. I need you. You've always excelled well in business and managing."

"I'll think about it." James said and began climbing up the stairs to get away from him.

"And think about it hard!" He heard him say.

James slammed his bedroom door shut and ripped his uniform blazer off before tossing it on his bed.

He didn't bother to see if his bedroom was the same way he left it. He just sat down on his bed and covered his face with his hands.

His cellphone rang. He sighed and took it out from a pocket of his blazer. Steve was calling.

He answered the phone call. He put the phone against his ear and let Steve say the first words.

"We're going to a bar, right? I could use a drink."

James smirked. "I could say the same thing. I'll meet you at our favourite bar. Sound about good?"

"Eight thirty sounds like a good time."

"Yeah sure. I'll see you then." James said before he hung up.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Darcy Lewis wanted nothing more than to stay in bed and carry on with her research while drinking the most creamy mug of coffee as she played sappy rock music from her laptop. She unconsciously nudged her glass spectacles up.

Her dark chocolate hair was tied in a sloppy bun with a pencil and she wore an oversized shirt that had a stain & a hole in it on the shoulder.

She chewed on her bottom lip and scrolled down the webpage she was on, before grabbing her pen to scribble a note on her pad.

She yelped & jumped when the phone on her nightstand rang, almost spilling coffee on her keyboard. "Shit." She cursed. She closed her eyes shut and tried to slow the fast beating of her startled heart. She sharply exhaled slowly and grabbed the phone to answer the call.

" _Darcy, what the hell? You bailed on me. We were supposed to have a double-date, but it was more like I was on a date with two guys. Seriously?_ "

Darcy put her fist in her mouth briefly before she said, "Holy shit! I forgot I have a social life."

" _Yeah you definitely forgot alright_."

"I'm so sorry, Jane. Look I'll make it up to you. I'll send you a song by Three Days Grace, I know you'll love them. You are going to be in tears once you listen to this song."

Jane was continuously talking over her through the phone. " _Darcy, Darcy...Darcy. Darcy!_ "

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"

" _I'm picking you up tonight. It's just going to be you and me._ "

"You do realize I got a lot of work to do, right? As in piles and piles and piles of work. As in, sorry Jane, Darcy ain't available. As in buried so far up work's ass that I can't reach you." Darcy put her mug of coffee on the nightstand table.

" _As in Jane doesn't fucking care, I'm picking your butt up._ " Jane snapped, earning a whining wail from Darcy. When it got silent, she asked, " _Are you done?_ "

"You owe me."

" _No. It's the other way around! You bailed on me!_ "

"I said I'm sorry, jeez." Darcy shut her laptop when she heard the door of her apartment knocking. She frowned and got up from bed.

" _Sorry doesn't take back anything._ "

"Yeah yeah yeah, little Miss I'm-Angry. I'll see you later." She hung up on her before she could get a word in and placed the phone back to it's place on the nightstand.

She walked out of her bedroom and passed her living room to get to the door before opening it. "What?" She asked in a tired, miserable voice.

"I'm sorry to bother you. But, I was just wondering, if I could- if you have some sugar? I really can't drink my cup of tea without sweetness. Honey would be better if you have some." The blonde man asked.

Darcy narrowed her eyes through her glasses. "Dude, is this your way of trying to ask me out?"

The man chuckled and shook his head. "No, not at all. Just that, I haven't been home for a long while. Last time I left my place I didn't buy some sugar." He held his empty sugar container in his hands.

"Tea sucks. I can't believe you drink tea. But come on in my friend." She stepped back and allowed him to enter. As he passed her, she realized just how tall he was and masculine his frame was. She couldn't help but trail her eyes down his ass and found that she rather liked the way it looked.

He turned and caught her staring at his butt. She wasn't even going to act shameful. She just nodded and smiled at him. "You've got a nice package there, dude." She said.

He tilted his head before his cheeks flushed. He briefly looked down with a smile. "Nice shirt."

She looked down herself to be reminded that she was wearing an oversized shirt with a hole and big orange stain on it. It ended up to her knees, her legs and feet bare. She smiled tightly but she really didn't care. "Yeah. Let's pretend I'm not wearing this, okay."

He chuckled.

She took his sugar container from his hands and walked to her kitchen. He tentatively followed behind.

"My name is Steve by the way."

"Oh like Stevie Wonder."

Steve laughed. "Yeah. Like Stevie Wonder." He watched her back as she poured some of her sugar in his container before he looked around her apartment.

Her couch was filled with papers and highlighters, a white shirt hung on her television set. There were empty mugs on tables as well. It didn't really look that neat. He got the impression that she was a very busy woman, and had little time to clean up. He turned back to her. "You like coffee?"

"Yeah. It's good for something."

"For keeping you awake right?" He smiled when she turned to him and handed him his container back that was now full of sugar. "Thanks." He said.

"Yeah. Unlike tea. Tea is only good for making you take a piss every five minutes. But if you like tea, go ahead, you drink the shit out of that."

He chuckled, a long blonde strand falling over his forehead.

She smiled tightly, realizing just how handsome he was and now she cared about how her apartment looked. Fuck. Why couldn't she at least tidy up every once in a while?

She rolled her eyes to herself when he turned his back on her to leave. Whatever. She didn't have time to make good impressions right now.

She smiled in triumph when she realized that she didn't at least tell him her name.

He stopped outside her doorframe and turned around to her. "You didn't tell me your name."

"Shit." She cursed, before realizing that she just outspoken her thoughts a little too loud.

Steve frowned. "Excuse me?"

"Darcy. My name is Darcy. But that's not important because you're never going to want to talk to me after I do this."

"Do what?"

She slammed the door in his face.

"That!" She said to him through the door.

________________

Wanda Maximoff was sketching her next sculpture design, balled up on her couch with her favourite scarlet blanket on. She sipped hot chocolate with marshmallows from her mug before putting the mug back on the table beside her.

She was just shading on a region in her drawing before her phone alarm rung with an irritating tone. She groaned and grabbed her phone to see that it was a reminder that said she had to be already prepared to meet her brother's fiancè tonight, which was just a few minutes before eight forty five on the clock.

She had already finished showering, all she had to do was dress up nice. She tossed her sketch pad and pencil on the table before climbing off her couch.

Searching through the wardrobe for something to wear did not take some time, fortunately, as she was in a rush. She slipped in the first pants she saw and a caramel turtle neck. Then she wore a beige jacket on top, after shoving her feet into her chestnut ankle boots. She took a scarf that was honey brown in colour and snaked it around her shoulders.

She didn't bother to look in the mirror. She just grabbed her cellphone & car keys and left her apartment.

 

She walked into the bar place where she'd meet her brother, smoothly moving out of people's ways as she crossed her arms protectively over her chest. The place reeked of alcohol, beer and perfume. Wanda didn't feel so good about that, her nose wrinkling.

She craned her neck to search for an auburn-haired head, that would be her brother. But she found him nowhere. She bit the inside of her cheek and sighed.

"Hey! Wanda!"

She spun around and there was Pietro, getting up from a seat with an exotic blonde beside him. He was grinning like an idiot and she waved.

She walked over to the table and she attacked him with a hug. A hug so long that the exotic blonde had to clear her throat awkwardly. The twins separated with identical smiles. "Look at you." Wanda patted his stubble cheek. "Still the same scruffy idiot." She joked.

"And you, the same mouthy ass." He retaliated.

Then they looked at the beauty who was to marry Pietro.

"Wanda, this is my fiancè, Natalie Rogers. Natalie, this is my sister. Wanda."

Wanda shook the sexy woman's skinny hand. "Hey, great to finally meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." The woman’s smile was sweet, her accent sounded Brooklyn. Her cleavage was on another level and the ending of her dress was inappropriate in many ways. 

Wanda gave Pietro a look that said, 'Girls like that are for one nightstands' which he responded to with a warning glare.

_____________

  
Darcy tried not to roll her eyes for the sixth time as she was dragged into the bar by Jane who had her arm hooked around hers.

Darcy was dressed up in a medium-sized buttoned up brown jacket and ebony jeans with black pumps.

"I hate bars." Darcy grumbled. "I like drinks, yes, but bars are full of forty year old men who hit on you from a distant."

"Will you ever stop complaining?" Jane groaned as they took some stools by the bar counter table to sit on.

Darcy just wanted a margarita and Jane cheered her on for her order. "Now we're getting somewhere!" She ordered the same too.

"I met a guy today. Blonde, tall, super hot." Darcy drank from her glass of margarita. "And totally not my type."

"But you find him attractive." Jane raised her eyebrows.

"Still wouldn't go for him, man. Guys like that have eyes for candy chics."

"You know what, you would look good if you had a make-over."

Darcy didn't know if she should be offended or not. "Okay, first of all. I don't think you understand this, Jane Foster. I'm not interested in the guy. I'm so not for jocks."

"This guy is a jock?"

"Yeah that's what I said."

"Okay, continue."

"I am more committed to physics and science than to anything in life. Like Tammy, my old cat, who died from starvation. That's one example. If I date, I'm the type of person to never call you again. I'd forget I'm dating someone for a whole month."

"Are you kidding me, you didn't feed your cat?!" Jane asked incredulously.

"Totally forgot the poor guy existed." Darcy looked guilty for a moment. "What?" She snapped at Jane's judgemental look. "I was preparing for exams for an entire month."

"Darcy, if you have a pet, you should make--"

"Holy shit." Darcy's eyes widened behind her glass spectacles. She was looking over Jane's shoulder at someone.

Jane frowned and turned around.

"He's fucking here." Darcy spat.

"Oh my god. He's hot!" Jane turned to her.

"We're looking at the same person right? Because you usually have bad taste in dudes."

"No! He's blonde right? Has a red cap on? Lean and masculine."

Darcy looked back at Steve and chewed on her lip. He was playing pool with a friend of his at the back. He looked so damn hot in that red cap.

He hadn't seen her yet, so if she could just leave . . .

"Let's go." Jane grabbed her arm and Darcy spilled margarita on the floor.

"What? Jane? What are you doing?" Darcy widened her eyes and she tried to resist but Jane was pulling her hard.

"We are, going to, meet this guy."

"No! Let go of me!"

"Come on!"

There were making a scene.

"Help me! This lady is crazy!" Darcy spoke to people nearby, many eyes on them.

"Stop it." Jane hissed, and they were getting closer and closer to the pool table he was at.

"You don't understand. I slammed the door in this guy's face!"

"You what?" Jane let go of her and Darcy sighed in relief, thinking of leaving now but then...

"Darcy right?"

The two brunettes froze and their eyes widened. A grin slowly grew on Jane's face. "He knows your name."

"Shut up." Darcy hissed, before she turned around and walked closer to the pool tables.

"Steve right?" She asked back.

He smiled at her. "Yeah."

"Who's this, Steve? You got a girl before me?" Steve's friend with brown hair asked standing beside him, holding his pool stick.

"She's Darcy. The girl I told you about, remember? Darcy, this is my friend Bucky."

"You talk about me?" Darcy was being smug. "People don't usually talk about me."

"She talks about you too." Jane just chimed in and Darcy felt her cheeks burn red.

"No I don't. I talk about your hair colour and fit figure. Let's not forget his butt, right Jane? Yeah. Definitely not about you." Darcy nudged Jane who widened her eyes at what she'd just said.

Steve chuckled and Bucky couldn't help but snort. "I like her."

"Yeah me too." Steve said.

Darcy grinned. "Me too."

Steve frowned at the other girl next to her. "And you are Darcy's friend?"

"Jane."

"Jane." Steve smiled. "You wouldn't mind if you girls stayed a while right?"

"Actually, I have a lot of--" Darcy began but Jane pinched her on the back before she could complete her sentence.

"Totally fine with us." Jane answered instead.

"Great." Steve grinned. "Do you want us to buy you drinks?"

Darcy looked at her empty glass from the spilling of margarita when Jane was pulling her. "Yes. More peeing for me then."

Steve laughed.

 


	3. Chapter 3

"So, Natalie," Wanda began, clearing her throat and forcing her voice to sound polite, "what is it that you do?"

Pietro grinned widely, his arm around his fiancè. Just as Natalie opened her mouth to answer her, he immediately jumped in. "She's a musician! She's working on something right now, just been accepted to a studio. Right, honey?"

Natalie blushed in embarrassment and tugged a blonde strand behind her ear. "Well..."

"Pietro, I was asking her the question." Wanda said flatly, raising an eyebrow at her brother from across the table. Ever the annoying brother he was, she thought.

Natalie smirked, briefly taking a sip from her martini. "It's alright. He answered my question just fine, didn't you sweetie?" She leaned in and gave Pietro a seductive kiss on the cheek as she slid her hand up his thigh. She faced Wanda again who was clearly uncomfortable. "I'm still recording my first album. It'll be coming out soon for sure." Natalie looked smug.

Wanda was interested in this. "Really? Are we going to hear you in the radio?" It was almost a tease.

Pietro choked on his beer for a second, his sister watched him in amusement.

Natalie chuckled. "Wanda, you'll be seeing my music video soon, that's for sure."

"Wow!" Wanda knew she sounded fake, not her intention at all, but she was fairly impressed. Hopefully Natalie wasn't lying about this. "I bet you do pop."

Pietro scoffed. "Does she look pop to you?"

Wanda eyed Natalie up and down for a moment. More like electric pop actually, she thought sneakily.

"No, no. I do alternative rock and indie music." Natalie corrected with a smug smile. "I'm really good."

"Very good." Pietro said.

Wanda smiled. "I'm glad to hear that." She said softly. "I want to hear your tracks sometime."

"Oh, Pietro has them, he can send them to you." Natalie said and her fiancè nodded with her.

"Great. I'll make sure he sends them." Wanda's smile widened.

"Honey. When is your brother going to arrive?" Pietro turned to Natalie.

Wanda would be lying if she said hearing her brother say 'Honey' to a girl like they were married for fourteen years didn't make her vomit inside. She was a little uncomfortable, but Natalie seemed fine to her. She didn't really care who her brother married.

"Steve should be here by now." Natalie chewed on her bottom lip, craning her neck to search for her brother.

_______________

 

Steve was checking his wristwatch as Darcy spoke on about her dead cat she didn't feed once. As interesting as her conversation sounded, he had to be somewhere by now.

"Hey!" Darcy snapped him out of staring at his watch.

Jane & Bucky were talking about something science, or more like Jane was talking something science and Bucky was pretending to be listening.

"Is your wristwatch more interesting than my mouth?" Darcy asked.

Steve stared at her thick red-painted lips and shyly looked away. He then laughed at her and shook his head. She looked a bit exasperated by him not listening to her and he'd try to make things better if she weren't so cute.

"I'm sorry. And your cat..." Steve paused, a funny look on his face. She rolled her eyes. "You got to bury him?"

"I think I put the body in the garbage bin." She said thoughtfully.

Steve's eyebrows rose. "You are insane."

Darcy shrugged.

"Listen...I-I have to go. It won't be long. Please don't go away." He said and turned to Bucky who looked relieved that Steve was giving him his attention, wanting to escape Jane's science theories. "I gotta go."

Bucky widened his eyes. "What?" He looked between Jane and Darcy, not wanting to be trapped in another educational conversation. "Why? What's going on?" Bucky demanded.

"I'll be back. I promise." Steve said before he finished the last of his drink and went away.

Darcy watched him go and groaned, rolling her eyes as she walked over to Jane & Bucky. She looked between the two of them and awkwardly smiled, "So...you two in love?"

_______________

 

Steve raked his hand through his blonde hair as he walked further away from the pool section where Darcy and his best friend were. He was heading towards one of the tables a long distant away. When he saw his sister, Natalie, her face lit up and she stood up from her seat.

A smile plastered on his handsome face as he walked over to the table and he gave her a short lived hug, before greeting his sister's fiancè and his future sister-in-law. "Hey. Hey, how are you?"

"I'm fine." The brunette girl smiled softly.

"Steve, this is Pietro's sister, Wanda." Natalie introduced, after Steve gave Pietro a brotherly hug - the two got along too well with each other.

Steve sat on the other empty chair and smiled at Wanda. "Pleasure to meet you."

She grinned. "You too." She nodded.

"Would you like a drink?" Natalie was asking, raising her arm up to catch one of the server's attention but Steve shook his head no.

"I'm fine." He said, a bit breathless. Natalie dropped her arm and frowned at him. He already just had a drink not a while back. He slouched and tapped his fingers on the table. He wanted this to be over fast. "So, how have you two been doing?" He asked.

"Alright-"

"Been breaking the bed." Pietro answered with a blank expression.

Wanda giggled, and Natalie turned pink on the face, nudging him hard in his ribs.

Steve grinned. "Surely you've been buying a series of new beds, huh?"

Natalie couldn't believe that Steve encouraged this to go further. "I'm your sister!"

Steve raised an eyebrow at her. "...And?"

Natalie silently scowled at her older brother.

Pietro chimed in. "I think what she means, Steve, is that you, as her brother, should act overprotective over her and not encourage such lewd comments."

Wanda narrowed her eyes at her brother, knowing for sure that he wasn't being serious. It seemed Steve knew that as well, as he chuckled lightly.

Natalie rolled her eyes and Steve gave her an apologetic look. "You know that I love you, right?" He said.

She scoffed and drank the rest of her martini.

Steve looked at his wristwatch and cleared his throat. "Well, I have to go now." He stood. He planned to leave after the 5-minute mark, as assholic as that was.

"So soon?" Natalie dropped her jaw.

Wanda breathed in and spoke up, "And I have to use the lavatory." She stood up as well.

"Yeah." Steve said to Natalie. "This was a lovely dinner, Natalie. Loved it."

Natalie glared at Steve. "This is not even a dinner, you fucking jerk."

Steve kissed her blonde head fondly and left.

Wanda waved goodbye at Steve and he nodded her way as he retreated. She turned back to the engaged couple. "Do one of you know where the ladies' room is?"

"Over there." Natalie pointed straight ahead a long distant away, "then turn left." She instructed.

Wanda nodded and gave her a smile. "Thanks." She turned and started walking away.

 

 

She walked straight and dodged out of some people's ways. She saw a pool place ahead.

She narrowed her eyes when saw Steve, who was just with her brother & his sister not even a minute ago, with two other girls.

She rose an eyebrow, her eyes glued on them, and suspected that he ditched his own family to flirt with a bunch of girls. She rolled her eyes and thought, _What an ass._

Then, by her own mistake of not watching where she was going, she bumped right into a tall figure and something wet spilled on her. She gasped and stepped back with her arms spread, looking down at the damage done.

She groaned and glared up at the culprit.

His mouth was slightly gaped. She scowled at him.

He spilled his beer on her and now she smelled like beer.

"I'm so sorry, shit. That turtle neck looked fantastic, before I spilled my beer all over it." He spoke.

She tilted her head. "Seriously?" She snapped in exasperation. She exhaled sharply and clenched her fists.

"Yeah seriously. Can I buy you a drink? You know, as an apology...for a pretty girl like you?"

"No." She tried to walk around him but he stepped in her way. When she moved to the other side, he blocked her, over & over again before she snapped. "Move!"

"I'm Bucky." He said instead. "Here's my card," he took out a silver business card with a telephone number on it, "Well, my family business card. You can call me whenever you want though. I'll pay for damaging your turtle neck."

She sighed. "It's fine." She walked away and pushed her hair back, then she remembered to turn left. She found the women's bathroom and walked inside. When she went into a toilet stall and closed the door, she realized that she was still holding that guy's card. _Bucky's_ card.

She bristled and groaned. "Fuck it," she muttered to herself and shoved the card in her pants' pocket. _Why not keep a stranger's number, you know?_ A good-looking stranger, a voice at the back of her head said. "No." She heard herself say and she shook her head. She wasn't interested, no matter how good-looking he was.

 

 

 

Wanda paused after she tried to wipe away the beer off her turtle neck in the basin. "Holy shit." She whispered to herself.

A guy just gave her his number, even offered to buy her a drink, and was obviously flirting with her.

 

‘... _for a pretty girl like you?_ ’

 

No one called her pretty, maybe some guys did flirt with her, but this one was being too obvious about it. Not to mention he gave her a number to call him with.

What are the chances, huh?

She watched herself in her reflection as she blushed. She fixed her hair quickly and stared at herself.

She was pretty. With her big green eyes, tender lips, light brown hair...

 

She left the lavatory and sighed when she found herself searching some crowds for him, this Bucky. Her eyes then stopped on Steve, who was with Bucky, and those two girls.

Wanda paused.

 

Doube-date, she thought, and felt a shot of disappointment.

But then she asked herself why he'd flirt with her like that when he was obviously on a date. She frowned and decided to just walk away. Forget that guy.

She walked back to the table with her brother and Natalie. She was going to spend the next half an hour with them.

"What happened?" Natalie gasped at the wide stain on Wanda's chest.

"Nothing." She dismissed calmly.

Pietro raised an eyebrow at her that told her to just spit it out.

"Some guy spilled beer on me okay?!" Wanda threw her arms in the air exasperatedly.

 


	4. Chapter 4

"So." She began dryly, her mild irritation seeping through her pretty face. "You want us for what exactly, Mister Barnes?"

"George." He gave her a small flirtatious grin across the desk. "Call me George."

She hated this. She hated it so much.

Since Boris wasn't here half the time, the clients that she would be left to take care of would never take one Natalia Romanova seriously. She was a very attractive woman, that much was obvious even to a blind fool as her husky voice sent shivers down almost every man's spine. But that didn't mean that they couldn't get down to business without lusting over me, she thought with a mental eyeroll.

"My son has a thing for redheads, you know." George Barnes continued, earning a cutting glare on her part. She silently stared him down and finally he shut up. He was quickly uncomfortable with her continuous silence and that death stare, squirming slightly in his seat. This rose a reaction from her; a sly smirk quirked on the corner of her blood red large lips.

"Where's Boris?" He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I can do this without Boris." She spoke so calmly, yet her face was so smug and challenging. She tilted the swivel chair she was sitting on side to side, a bit playful, her green eyes glistening with mischief.

George cleared his throat again and felt like his tie was choking him. He loosened it and looked anywhere but directly at her. And then his eyes laid on her long smooth legs that were crossed together, the black dress she was wearing ending to the middle of her beautiful thighs.

Natalia exhaled sharply in annoyance and leaned in. "Mister Barnes--"

"I'd rather if we just wait for your boss." He said, giving her a tiny smile which she did not return.

She rolled her eyes.

And then the door to the office opened and the beautiful redhead leaned back in the chair. Boris walked in, grumbling a couple of curse words in Russian, before he stopped to see something out of place in his office. He narrowed his eyes and looked at his niece who was sitting on his chair as if she owned it like a queen on her throne and the most especially out-of-place was the man across the desk from her.

"Who are you?" Boris demanded in his harsh foreign accent.

Natalia smirked and eyed George down like she wanted to eat him out. "No one."

"You, out of my chair." He ordered her.

She rolled her eyes and rose from his beloved seat, stepping aside to make him take his throne. She smirked as he sat and glared at Mister Barnes.

"I think you know who I am." George's confidence was back and he stared Boris directly in the eye with a little more arrogance.

"No." Boris said. "I don't."

"His name is George Barnes. Owns a big business or something." Natalia said, leaning her arm onto his chair.

"Oh?" Boris tilted his head at George. "And what do you want from us?"

"I want you to assassinate someone. But without raising suspicion. But before that, I want you to take down their company. I want you to leak all it's secrets out there. Whatever you can." George said seriously and all business-like. "I'll pay you 1.5 million."

Natalia's eyebrows rose in surprise. "This person must be real important."

"He is." George said curtly, still looking at Boris for his response.

"Oh." Boris looked bored but she knew he was already in. "And who is this person you want eliminated? And just why is that, if I may ask?"

"My main competitor, who just died a week ago, Odinson, I believe one of his sons has inherited control of the corporation. Odinson Corp. , is the name of this billion dollar company. We're the last company between them and total control of energy dominance. One day they will have control of the energy supply of half the world & we can no longer compete. Loki Odinson & Thor Odinson are his sons. Find which one will be named the new CEO & owner of Odinson Corporation. Destroy the company and kill the son." Mister Barnes explained.

Boris waited a silent moment longer before slowly nodding. "I have a plan."

"You don't have to tell me how you'll do it." George was already standing up, buttoning his suite the way most arrogant men did. "Just do it."

Boris just shrugged. "Wasn't going to. You just worry about paying us." Natalia smirked at her uncle's tone.

"Alright. Well I'll give you two months. That's more than enough time, don't you think?"

The Russians glared at him silently.

"It's fine." Natalia gruffly answered after a long moment.

 

Once the man left the office, Boris looked at her from his seat. She quirked an amused brow at him and walked to take a seat on the chair across from him. It was still warm from George Barnes's presence and Natalia grimaced in disgust at that.

Boris opened his laptop and typed away on the keyboard. Natalia pretended to look at her nails as she waited before she sighed in the silence. Then he looked back at her after receiving info from the laptop. "It is Loki Odinson who will be taking over the corporation."

Natalia rose her eyebrows. "That was fast."

"Barnes wants their empire to burn, as he says he cannot have competition. I believe evidence to destroy this Odinson Corp. is in the family house computer. It will be difficult to break into their house and we won't be able to afford it even if we did. Their house is too huge, time will be wasted."

"How about blueprints?" Natalia frowned.

"No, I already have a plan, Natalia."

The redhead pursed her lip. "Like to share?"

"The only way we get access to this house is by getting invited." Boris looked at his laptop's screen. "I see here they are not holding any events in that house for the next few months."

Natalia straightened on her seat.

"You will meet Loki and snake your way into his life, form a connection fast, gain his trust or seduce him or whatever it is that you really do. At some point he will invite you to his home. Then you download files from the family's computer in a USB and kill him in his sleep. Simple."

Natalia raised an eyebrow. "Fine." She said unenthusiasticly.

"Good." Boris slammed his laptop shut. "You will change your hair and your name will be Natasha Romanoff. Your hair will be blonde."

Natalia scowled. "Natasha Romanoff? Really? You just Americanized my name, it's not a big change, Boris."

"Natasha Romanoff." He stood up from his seat and she sighed.

"Natasha Romanoff it is."

 

________________

 

The most beautiful lady in the designer halter lavender dress entered into the gigantic mansion, her velvet heels clicking on the polished marbel floor as she looked around her new house. Her black wavy hair hung over her shoulders and curtained her pale face.

She trailed her gentle fingers on the cream white walls as she moved along, her hazel green eyes taking in the wide space.

She turned to the men carrying her expensive property from her previous house inside. "Please do be careful with those paintings!" She spoke in her lovely Australian accent. She turned back around and her eyes followed the long staircase. She climbed upstairs and walked passed the many rooms, sneaking a peek through each door. She moved along to what she suspected was the office room and opened the doors. She entered inside and walked to the sliding window doors, prying them apart to stare out at the view of the ocean ahead. "Not at all bad." She muttered to herself, and came closer to the balcony. From up there she could see surfers, bikini girls, and many other people laying on the beach. Her face twisted into an ugly scowl. She'd always hated crowded places. Beaches were always polluted with people. And Sif didn't do well with people.

She sighed and entered back into the empty office room. Some men were already inside putting down some boxes. She closed the sliding window doors and walked out as she heard Fandral, her butler, call for her. "Sif! Lady Sif! There is a man at the door. Goes by the name Loki Odinson, he demands to speak with you!"

Sif exhaled sharply and fixed her skirt.

"I'm coming!" She yelled, then she descended down the long staircase.

She frowned at the man in her home and paused, frowning. Fandral had already retreated and she crossed her arms over her chest, staring at the man coldly. "And who might you be?" She snapped.

 

"Loki Odinson." The tall man bowed his head in politeness and dared to step closer. He didn't even offer a fake smile, his face cold and distant. "You're Sif Wilkinson. The daughter of a family friend of mine; your father. I am aware that he is not here at the moment but when I heard of your arrival, I wanted to personally give you an invite to a family art exhibit in which your father and mine contributed in. My brother, Thor, is an artist. His work will be held there and many people will come to see it. I know your love for arts, your father has told us a lot about you. My mother will be excited to meet you. That is, if you accept the invitation."

 

Sif eyed him critically with her chin arrogantly raised up. He spoke so well and sophisticated, yet he was distant and firm. No doubt was he English with that smooth accent of his. She had heard of the Odinsons before, they were very important people.

"You say there will be many people." She spoke firmly. _Many people_.

 

Loki's blank face morphed into a cold smirk. "We are quite important people, you see, Miss Wilkinson. Every event held with our name to it will be full before the night even begins. I suggest you arrive earlier, if you aren't a people person, as am I." He rasped with a hint of annoyance. "A driver will arrive here to pick you up at 19:30. Do dress your best." He drawled. He turned to leave without letting her speak. How rude, she thought bitterly. Not even a goodbye.

 


	5. Chapter 5

" _It seems that they will be holding an art exhibit tonight. I will text you the address and a dress will be arriving to your place._ "

Natalia combed her fingers through her wet newly diyed blonde locks with her phone pressed to her ear. She was just finished showering when Boris called her on her private burner phone. She tiredly sighed at this new information. "Tonight?"

" _Yes, tonight. Problem?_ "

She opened her wardrobe and she picked black denim jeans. "Well...I do have a date with Alexei tonight..."

" _You're still with that Uzbekistanian?_ "

"He's fucking Ukrainian, for the last time!"

" _Doesn't matter. Cancel that date._ "

She rolled her eyes and hung up on him. She tossed her phone on her bed and slipped into her panties & jeans.

She wore her fading black AC/DC crew neck shirt and then she heard her burner phone chirm. She took the phone from her bed, opened the message and read the address of this art exhibition where she will meet her target. "Great." She groaned and threw her phone back on the bed. Then she heard the door of her apartment knock and she frowned.

She left her bedroom, passing her neat living room, and looked through the peephole of her door. Outside, stood a man holding a black dress bag. So her dress had arrived. She unlocked her many locks one by one before she opened the door. She didn't even pull a smile and just took the dress. The young man widened his eyes slightly and stared at her like he was going to pee his pants. "Um, you're Natasha Romanoff?"

She stopped at that name and briefly rolled her eyes. "Yes. It's me. Do I need to sign anything?"

The man blinked. "Ah, yes! It's, it's also been signed by..." He looked down at the clipboard. "Boris Kuznetsov." She took the clipboard and pen from him and signed on the empty line.

"Here." She shoved the clipboard and pen in his chest and stepped back with the dress bag hooked around her arm before she slammed the door in the poor guy's face.

" _Thank you!_ " She heard him say nervously through the door.

She sat on her couch and unzipped the dress bag. She pulled out a silk crimson halter dress and hummed in approval. It would look gorgeous on her, for sure.

Then a small note fell to the floor. She frowned and slightly kneeled to grab it.

It said, _Don't fucking stain it - Uncle B_.

She chuckled.

 

________________

 

The beautiful and radiant Sif Wilkinson slipped out of the limousine with grace & power. Her black hair braided in a bun, revealing more of her face and long neck. Heads turned as she walked down the passage between the many camera people who were already snapping photos of her. She was adorned in a strapless indigo maxi gown that had women already gawking at her.

She stopped by the entrance, which was of course guarded. She smiled. "Sif Wilkinson--"

"That isn't necessary." Loki stepped into her view dressed in a black suit and bow tie, looking even more dashing than earlier. "She's with me." He was smirking at her.

The bodyguard nodded and let her in.

 

Loki gestured his arm to her and she hooked hers around his. "Hmm. A gentleman." She remarked.

"I am one of many things, Miss Wilkinson, a gentleman if I feel like it." He said slyly.

"Call me Sif, please." She said.

She looked around at the formal event. He was right. It was quite full, as important as the Odinsons were. The paintings were absolutely lovely and she was very pleased. She didn't show it though.

"So where is your brother's artwork?" She asked.

 

He took her to a large painting in a golden frame. The image was of a man on one side and a woman on the other side. They both had their knees to their chests, their heads turned down in sadness.

They were against their walls, directly back to back to each other, it was evident that they were both in different rooms. The woman's room was red and a different red tone of blood ran down her walls. The man's room was plain black, and if you squinted your eyes closely, there was a silhouette of a man hunching his back as if he were cackling.

Sif had never seen anything so plainly dark. There weren't hidden messages at all, it was all out there, but it still had depth.

"That is one of my favourites. It was quite a surprise at first, Thor was never at all, dark, if I may say. He was more of an optimist and his paintings had love themes." Loki smoothly explained. "In this painting, it is two people, who are two parallels, but never seem to cross paths. This is a reason why I don't believe in soulmates. You never really meet someone who understands you the way you truly want."

Sif smiled at him. "You remind me of myself, you know."

"Is that so?" He drawled.

 

They walked passed many more paintings and she was getting more & more impressed with the artworks.

"Brother." A manly voice began and the two turned around to lay their eyes on the built blonde before them.

And he had the most bluest eyes. Sif took in a sharp inhale and her eyes quickly trailed down his muscular, tall body.

 

Out of all the men, Thor Odinson was the one to break the dress code to his own family event. He wore black jeans with biker boots, a grey shirt with a wide v-neckline, a leather jacket, and a chain necklace around his neck. He was awfully handsome. His long blonde hair was tied to the back in a knot. Sif struggled to keep her eyes off of him.

 

"Sif, this is my brother, Thor. Thor, this is Sif Wilkinson. Daughter of David Wilkinson, remember him?" Loki introduced the two.

 

"Yes, I remember." Thor stared at the lady beside his brother and he gave her a charming smile before he took in her hand and kissed the back of her palm. "It's a pleasure, my lady," he dared to wink at her. Sif scoffed out loudly.

"My brother, always the ladies' man, I'd say. I do hope you're immune to his charms." Loki drawled.

"Yes well," Sif was blushing madly and she gave Thor a glare, "it is a pleasure to meet you too, Thor Odinson." She said sharply.

"You two look like you'll get along just fine. Perhaps I should leave." Loki unhooked Sif's arm from his and Sif watched him walk away to avoid Thor's dreamy gaze.

 

_______________

 

"You're not on the list. I'm serious." The guard of this art exhibition said.

Natalia scoffed in frustration. She ran her hand through her short wavy pale blonde hair and clawed at it. "Really?"

"Really."

"But this has to be a misunderstanding. I was invited."

"I'm sorry." The guard shook his head and shrugged. He did look sorry, to reject such a beautiful woman adorned in a gorgeous crimson dress from the event. "I really am. I'm just doing my job."

"Oh." She said sadly and hopelessly dropped her hand from her hair. It was all just an act of course, she couldn't give less of a shit if she tried. But she had to think of the money they'd get. 1.5 million. Think about the money.

 

"She's with me."

Natalia blinked hard at who she was seeing. Boris, was, there. "What the hell?" She found herself snapping.

The guard frowned. "You know this man?"

"Yeah. He's my-"

"She's my daughter. Now let her in." Boris said impatiently.

"You can get in then." The guard stepped aside for her to enter.

Natalia stepped into the exhibition and glared furiously at Boris who was in a grey tailored suit. "What are you doing here?" She demanded.

"I'm your father, don't talk to me that way." He said flippantly.

She scowled at him angrily. "How did you get in here?"

"That isn't any of your concern. What matters is that you're in. And once you're in..." Boris's eyes landed on Loki Odinson himself who was going to walk passed them by any second. "There he is." He nudged Natalia who growled at him before she turned her head around. The very tall man with black hair caught her glancing at him before he calmly looked away with disinterest. He walked passed them like they didn't exist.

Natalia looked back at Boris. "You mean that's Loki Odinson?"

"Yes."

Natalia sighed. "I need a drink." She took champaign from a waitress holding a tray but Boris grabbed the glass from her hand before she could even connect her dark red-painted lips to the glass.

"No drink."

"Why?" She demanded.

"Listen to your boss."

Natalia crossed her arms and groaned. Her eyes laid on this Loki Odinson who was a distant away and she bit the inside of her cheek, thinking.

"How are you going to approach him?"

"Well that's easy." She drawled. "Here. Hold that for me." She shoved her red purse into Boris's chest to hold and walked away.

 

Loki was staring at a painting with his eyes narrowed, a glass of champaign in his hand.

Natalia approached him with ease and stood beside him.

"Remember me?" She began. He turned his head to her and she stared back at him with a seductive uplift of her brow.

"Excuse me?" He said.

"Um," she blinked. "We've met before. Don't you remember?"

Loki's jaw briefly dropped and he shook his head. "I'm sorry? I-I don't recall."

Natalia stared at him and chuckled. "Wow. And I thought I was unforgettable." She gave him a sad small smile and turned to leave. "Excuse me."

"Wait, hold on." His voice raised slightly.

Her back was to him, so he couldn't see the victorious smile on her face. She dropped the smile when she turned back to him.

"What's your name?" He seemed to realize just how beautiful she was and his Adam's apple moved with nervousness.

She wickedly grinned, her green eyes predatory. "Natasha. Natasha Romanoff."

 


End file.
